On feast of Epiphany, January 6, 1997, the Holy Father ordains 12 Bishops at
ceremonies in St. Peter's Basilica

1. "Arise [Jerusalem], shine; for your light
has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you" (Is 1:1).

Today, the Solemnity of Epiphany, this is how the prophet's words resound. The ancient,
evocative oracle of Isaiah in a way foretells the light that shone on the stable in
Bethlehem on Christmas night, anticipating the angels' song: "Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased" (Lk 2:14). In a
certain sense, in pointing to the light the prophet is pointing to Christ.
As it shone for the shepherds seeking the newborn Messiah, so this light shines today on
the path of the Magi, come from the East to adore him who was born King of the Jews.

The Magi represent the peoples of the whole earth who, in the light of the Lord's
birth, set out on the way leading to Jesus and, in a certain sense, are the first to
receive that salvation inaugurated by the Saviour's birth and brought to fulfilment in the
paschal mystery of his Death and Resurrection.

When they reached Bethlehem, the Magi adored the divine Child and offered him symbolic
gifts, becoming forerunners of the peoples and nations which down the centuries never
cease to seek and meet Christ.

Epiphany inspires Church's missionary activity

2. In the second reading from the Letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul comments
with deep wonder on the mystery celebrated in today's solemnity: "Assuming that you
have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery
was made known to me by revelation.... The mystery of Christ, which was not made known to
the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and
prophets by the Spirit; that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same
body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel (Eph 3:2-3; 5-6). A
son of the chosen nation, converted to Christ, Paul came to share in divine Revelation,
after the other Apostles, to transmit it to the nations of the whole world. After this
great turning point in his life, he understood that all peoples have been chosen as
well and that all men are called to salvation because they are "partakers of the
promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel" (Eph 3:6). Indeed, the light of Christ
and the universal call to salvation are meant for the peoples of all the earth. "This
character of universality which adorns the People of God is a gift form the Lord himself
whereby the Catholic Church ceaselessly and efficaciously seeks for the return of all
humanity and all its goods under Christ the Head in the unity of his Spirit" (Lumen
gentium, n. 13).

3. Thus we understand the full meaning of Epiphany, presented by Paul in the way in
which he himself understood and practiced it. The Apostle's task is to spread the Gospel
throughout the world, proclaiming to mankind the redemption wrought by Christ and to lead
all humanity on the path of salvation, manifested by God on the night in Bethlehem. The
Church's missionary activity, through its many stages down the centuries, finds its
starting point and universal scope in the feast of Epiphany.

Precisely to stress the universal character of the Church's mission, it has been the
custom for a number of years that on the feast of Epiphany the Bishop of Rome lays his
hands on priests from various countries and invokes the Holy Spirit for their episcopal
service.

Today I have the joy of conferring the fullness of the priesthood on 12 brothers.
During the episcopal consecration the Gospel Book will be placed on their head to
emphasize that bringing the Good News is their fundamental mission, a mission filled with
joy and labour for all those who are committed to carrying it out with responsibility
and faith. Let us pray together that the light which illumined the Magi on their way
to Bethlehem may also accompany these newly chosen Bishops.

4. Dear Brothers chosen by God for the episcopal ministry, I wish each of you the
wealth and fullness of Christ's Epiphany. I wish this for you, Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto,
who will be the papal representative in Congo and Gabon, in the heart of the African
continent so dear to me. I pray for you, Archbishop Paolo Sardi, appointed Apostolic
Nuncio with special duties, who will still be working beside me in the Secretariat of
State, and I thank you for the service you have given thus far, hoping that you will
continue in the same way with the same zeal. I greet you, Archbishop Varkey Vithayathil,
to whom I give the very important task of administering the Major Archiepiscopal Church of
Ernakulam-Angamaly for Syro-Malabars, in the Indian state of Kerala. I hope that the
fullness of Christ's Epiphany may shine for you, Bishop Delio Lucarelli, Pastor of the
Diocese of Rieti; for you, Bishop Ignace Sambar-Talkena of Kara, Togo, and for you, Bishop
Luciano Pacomio, Pastor of the Diocese of Mondovi. May the light of the Holy Spirit guide
you, Bishop Angelo Massafra, the first Bishop of Rreshen and Apostolic Administrator of
Lezhe, Albania, and you, Bishop Florentin Crihalmeanu, called to work as Auxiliary with
the Bishop of your Diocese of Cluj-Gherla, Romania. May the Lord support you, Bishop
Jean-Claude Perisset, in your office as Adjunct Secretary of the Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity, and you, dear Bishop Piotr Libera, who are to work with my
brother, the Archbishop of Katowice, Poland, as his Auxiliary. May he be with you, Bishop
Basilio do Nascimento, sent to the faithful of the new Diocese of Baucau, East Timor, and
may the same Holy Spirit and his grace be with you, Bishop Hil Kabashi, whom Providence is
sending to Southern Albania.

Be faithful and courageous apostles of Christ

5. Dear and venerable Brothers, at this moment I like to think of you beside the Magi
as you adore the King of peace, the Saviour of the world, and see the hand of the Child
Jesus guided by that of his holy Mother in the act of blessing each one of you. It is the
Lamb of God, the Shepherd of Shepherds, who is asking you to extend and spread his charity
in the wondrous Body of the Church and in every part of the world, during these years of
preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. Strengthened by his help, go forth
without hesitating; be faithful and courageous apostles of Christ, proclaiming and
witnessing to the Gospel, the light that illumines all peoples. Do not be afraid! Christ
is with us every day until the end of the world (cf. Mt 28 20).

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today ... and forever" (Heb 13:8).

Amen!

Taken from:
L'Osservatore Romano
Weekly Edition in English
8 January 1997, page 1

L'Osservatore Romano is the newspaper of the Holy
See.
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